Battle Scars
by Aqua468
Summary: After the war, everybody expected the nightmares, they were actually quite ordinary for the seven by this point. It was a different story they started to bleed into reality.
1. the wise

And suddenly I was seven years old again.

I was running, running as hard and as fast as I could. My bare feet slapped the ground as I raced through the darkness. I needed to escape, but from _what_, exactly?

It was close behind me, I could feel it. The thing made my heart crawl into my throat every inch it got closer. The beast was fast, faster than you would believe. Its scampering claws sounded like someone painfully dragging their nails across a chalkboard. The sound made me cringe every time it skidded around a tight corner.

I kept running, pumping my legs as hard as I could. _Faster, I need to go faster._

I tried to think what I could possibly do to get out of this as the monster screamed from behind.

Curious, most monsters that I've met, besides when talking, would either roar or snarl or do whatever they do, right? This one screamed, and it unnerved me because it sounded nearly human, almost always like someone I knew.

This monster was just... different. Every monster I had ever encountered has had some sort of a conscience. I'm not saying that the conscience isn't a dark one, but they usually had at least some intelligence. After all, it's definitely not impossible to make a monster angry.

Well no, this monster, by any means, did not have a conscience. It was a seething storm of rage, with one purpose, and one purpose only: to make me bleed.

_I was absolutely terrified._

My lungs felt like they were going to collapse by the time I ran into the dead end of the alley. I was hyperventilating, and my deep breaths echoed off the surrounding walls. I was cornered, but the thing kept coming with terrifying speed.

The thing scrambled closer, but all I could see was the shadowy silhouette of what could only truly be described as a monster. Long legs scraped against the ground, and its small, dark eyes looked at me hungrily. Still, I now knew what it was, which in a way, was something that all children of Athena feared.

My heart skipped a beat when I reached for my bronze knife that wasn't there.

The gap between us began to close as the monster crawled closer. My back was literally pressed up against the wall when I came to my bitter realization: _there was nowhere left to go, and no way left to fight back._

_Wait a moment_, I thought, startled. _No. I never think that way, I don't to give up. I refuse to die here._ What kind of power does it take to mess with my mind like that? No matter how desperate or tragic the circumstances may be, never would I even consider-

Something inside me snapped.

My vision went blurry, and my legs gave out unexpectedly. I collapsed to the ground, sliding against the wall, ripping me from my thoughts. I felt the overwhelming desire to pull my knees close to my chest and press my tiny hands to my ears.

My mind was suddenly in utter hysterics, and my heart was hammering against my chest. I thought I could hear my erratic heartbeat echo against the walls that trapped me.

_I'm going to die._

I couldn't quite think straight. Athena always had a plan, but then why could I only panic? I've held my own against monsters so twisted and gruesome that you would think to be impossible. Why was I so afraid of this thing? What was so different?

_I'm going to die._

Oh gods, this was actually happening. Unfinished thoughts and words blurred with fear crashed around in my head. _Where was… What happened to… running and running and… my knife… Percy… whywhywhy-_ And then one desperate thought boldly stood out from the rest.

_**I**_

_**am**_

_**going**_

_**to**_

_**die.**_

I clamped my eyes shut and waited in silent terror. The fear was overwhelming, paralyzing my tiny form. The thing just kept coming closer and closer and closer to the point where I could feel its hot, humid breaths clinging to the skin on the nape of my neck.

Something possessed me to pry open my eyelids, perhaps the childish, primitive fear of not knowing. It stronger than just curiosity. It was more like an intense hatred of not knowing.

And then I saw it.

I couldn't describe it to you exactly even if I wanted to. It was as if my mind didn't want to remember it, like it rejected the possibility that such a thing could even exist. However, I will never forget its eyes, the one thing I wish I could forget.

The world had stopped spinning.

They were dead, but still so very much alive. In a way, they were similar to windows. Through its eyes, I could see fear, pure and untainted fear. And it was hungry for more.

I don't know how long I sat there, staring into its soulless eyes, but at one point, it was just... gone. It's not like it got up and walked away or that it teleported or whatever, just that, I remember that it just suddenly wasn't there. As if it wasn't there in the first place.

In its place, a warm smile and outstretched hand. Luke was here, Thalia not far behind.

_It's okay I'm okay I'll be okay now._

Luke gave me a warm hug, and I let him pull me to my feet. He led me out of the alley, my small hand in his.

After a few shaky steps on unsteady legs, I couldn't help but take note of something peculiar.

His hands were as cold as death.

"Luke?" My small voice cut through the silence. "Why are you so cold?"

He stopped abruptly and let go of my hand. Slowly, he turned around to face me, absolutely expressionless.

I couldn't really think straight at this point. My thoughts were completely scattered, a random collection of ideas that weren't quite finished yet. It was immensely disorienting, and I hated it.

That may have explained why Luke was pulling out my celestial bronze knife.

In the dim light, the long jagged scar marking his face made Luke look almost evil. And his eyes, oh gods, I swear his eyes were the eyes of a monster. Eyes of burning gold met my stormy gray ones.

Was this even Luke?

Without warning, he stepped towards me and plunged the knife deep into my stomach. Pain exploded across my midsection, leaving me stumbling and gasping for air. Blood spilled between my fingers as I attempted to grasp the knife logged in my stomach.

No, this was definitely not Luke. This was the other guy.

Then I realized that I was falling backwards, my unstable legs no longer able to hold my weight. Time slowed as gravity got its hold on me, pulling farther and farther down. My bloodstained were reaching out for help that would not come. I had just enough time to meet Luke's dead, expressionless gaze as he turned and walked away with a sickeningly familiar cold chuckle. I did not miss the blood still dripping from his pale fingers.

As the titan walked away, time resumed to its natural flow.

And so I fell, but I did not hit the ground. I frantically grasped empty handfuls of darkness, desperately seeking some sort of handhold. None came. So, I kept on

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down the never ending darkness until I finally slammed into the ground.

Everything hurt. My head was pounding, the knife wound to my stomach was screaming in pain, and it was so incredibly hard to breathe. I think I may have broken a couple important somethings. I managed to somehow roll myself onto my back and pry open my eyes to assess my situation.

It was like drowning in a sea of shadows, way to dark to see much of anything. But still, the pace had a strange feel to it, something difficult to explain. It was familiar, but not in a good way.

Nothing felt right here, as if it was burning cold and freezing hot at the same time. You could practically smell the fear in the air.

Realization hit me like a sledgehammer.

I did not want to be here. I _did not_ want to be here.

This, is a place that has no light and knows no sanity, a place so old and so dark that even the ever powerful gods had reason to be afraid. How did I know?

I had been there before, and it had been a _very_ long fall.

**_TARTARUS_**.

* * *

I was out of bed and halfway to the Athena cabin the moment she started screaming, and was by her side within seconds.

I pushed through some of her blond haired siblings, and found her screaming and thrashing in her sleep, but she wouldn't wake up.

"Annabeth," I shook her by the shoulders. "Wake up."

She didn't.

I tried again, not even attempting to hide the desperation bleeding into my words. "Come on, Annabeth. It's okay, I'm here now. Wake up, _please_ wake up."

She continued fighting the imaginary monsters.

I turned to her brother Malcolm, "Get help."

He nodded and ran off.

It wasn't long before Jason, Hazel, and various other campers arrived.

"Something is very wrong here," Jason muttered gravely. "The nightmares haven't ever been like this before."

I nodded. He was right. Living life as a demigod, you usually end up seeing some things you wish you hadn't. It's expected that you'll get a few nightmares. Once you wake up though, you okay for the most part. I mean, yeah, you'll probably be a bit shaken up, but not much else aside from that.

It proves to be a bit more difficult of a problem when the supposed person woken, like now for instance. I creates a new way of torture, not being able to help as you watch someone you love suffer...

And torture it was.

For hours, she was punching and kicking and yelling and crying. Annabeth screamed and sobbed until voice was so raw it hurt to listen to, and then some more. Something was hurting my beautiful Annabeth and I could do nothing to stop it.

I don't know how long I sat there, but it honestly felt like forever until the screaming stopped. Stuffy silence filled the room as everybody held their breath. Every second, every tick of time, felt like an infinity.

Without warning, Annabeth bolted straight up in her bed, eyes wide with terror. She rapidly scanned the room until her eyes settled on me.

"Percy," she whispered, reaching out with a trembling arm.

I carefully sat down next to her on the bed and held her close. She berried her face in my shirt and tried to calm down.

A few minutes later her breathing calmed to it's normal pace.

"Percy, I was going to die," Annabeth said. "I was going to die, and I was terrified."

Her words were stuttered and choked, no louder than a whisper. Nobody dared to make a sound.

"I couldn't think," she rambled on. "I don't really know why I'm so unsettled by this, but it scared me, _a lot_."

"Shhhh, Annabeth, it's okay. You're going to be okay now." Percy said.

She stared out into space. "Luke said that too," Annabeth said.

Shaking her head to focus, she continued, "A-And there was this, this voice. It kept saying these awful things, like it knew everything."

"What do you mean?" Hazel questioned.

"I mean, it knew about how you died," she explained. "About Frank's mother, and something about Leo running away, about _Tartarus_."

She raised her head and looked at me with her stormy gray eyes.

"It told me," she paused, "the seven of us are going to die."

_And she cried the rest of the night._

* * *

**...****I know I'm not the best writer, but I'm trying, I promise.**

**So umm, yeah...**

**I hope you had fun reading, and... I guess I'll see you later.**

***unsuspiciously asks if you have any questions, comments, advice, jokes, or wild accusations that you would want to possibly leave in the reviews***

**-Aqua468 (2/8/15)**


	2. the bold

**Frank's POV**

I woke up with my chest aching like it was full of smoke.

Sunlight flittered through the window, gently giving the cabin a warming glow. The breeze carried the crisp scent of pine trees and strawberries. The sky even looked a few shades bluer. It was a very pleasant day.

You know, except for the fact that I could barely breathe.

"Great," I croaked to myself. "Another wonderful start to another beautiful day."

I'll admit, for a few minutes, all I could really do was lay there trying to catch my breath. I couldn't focus my eyes just yet, so I just let them stay closed. Instead, I listened to the erratic heartbeat pounding like thunder in my ears. It was like that feeling you get right after a jump-scare when you feel like your heart is going to burst out of your chest.

This nightmare in particular had shaken me pretty badly. I couldn't even remember all that much through my blurring thoughts, but I know one was for sure.

Something was burning.

I could still see the ashes and blackened remains that smothered the ground. Smoke billowed into the sky. Through stinging eyes, I could see a fire hungrily devouring the charred remains of what looked like the twisted and mangled bodies of people burned beyond hope of recognition.

Inside the dream, I was completely numb. My feet were set to the ground like stone,and I just stood there and watched.

_I just stood there and watched_ and watched as people **burned** with my thoughts lost in the fire.

Vaguely, I can recall the sounds of a war. Muffled battle cries and gun shots echoed throughout the silence. The anguished cries of the injured called out for help, but I couldn't seem to move. I couldn't even seem to care. All I could do, was watch.

Then, inside that morbid dream of mine, I recognized a face in the heart of the fire.

It's funny how your blood can still run cold even when you're next blazing heat.

Feeling rushed back to me, but I was still cemented to the ground. I wanted to run into the flames. Through the haze in my thoughts, I had put everything I had into just trying to budge a centimeter. I _needed_ to help them. And just as I was able to escape the steel grip that was holding me still, I woke up.

I sighed and forced myself to sit up, hesitating before pushing off the sweaty covers and pulling on a shirt. I stood up and walked to the door and twisted the doorknob with shaking hands.

As light flooded through the open doorway, I squinted my eyes and held up my arm to block the sun. Geez, how long had I been sleeping? I didn't think that I really had anything in particular I had to do that day, but I did want to visit Annabeth in the infirmary.

The night she woke up screaming had shaken the entire camp.

Every single person awoke in a blind panic. The screaming and pleading of the daughter of Athena, the legendary Annabeth, had scared everybody. Nobody even attempted to go back to sleep.

As I made my way towards the infirmary, I noted the campers' behavior. They all still continued with their usual training and activities, but not with the usual vigor. Even though the whole thing happened nearly a week ago, you could still tell everybody was on edge. They had good reason to be worried.

I'll be honest, Annabeth herself still hadn't fully recovered. Physically, she was fine. Mentally, however, she was still kind of out of it.

The rest of the seven hadn't been doing all that great either. None of us have actually slept well since Annabeth had that dream, and nobody missed the dark circles under our eyes.

The fates really are heartless.

The war had only ended a few months ago, and we had yet to complete rebuilding ourselves. The camp was still riddled with several marks of battle. We didn't need this right now. The battle scars were deep, and we were still grieving the heavy losses.

Leo... Well, Leo was a sore subject.

Nobody had wanted to believe that he had died. ...It was too much to handle. Even though he and I had our differences, but he was one of my friends, a comrade. Nobody wanted him to die. His jokes may have been terrible, but they still somehow managed to make a smile reach everyone's faces, no matter how grim the day was.

Nobody was telling jokes now, not with all the other bodies that were left to pick up after everything quieted down. The ceremonies still continued. The camp waited in solemn silence as banner after banner burned, just waiting for it all to just _end_.

We had won, right? We were supposed to be celebrating.

I shook my head to try to rid myself of those thoughts. _Everything is going to be alright._ I headed off to the direction of the infirmary.

I ran into Hazel on the way there. Her frizzy hair reached her shoulders, framing her face. Her chocolate eyes looked at me with a slightly worried expression.

"Hey there," she said with hug and a tired smile. "How are you doing?"

"Alright for now," I replied.

"You sure? You look tired."

"We're all tired."

"Well, yeah. I guess you're right. I'm just worried," Hazel said. "Are you going to see Annabeth?"

"Yeah, would you like to come with me?"

"Sure," she said, falling into step beside me.

A few minuted later, we found ourselves walking into the infirmary with Percy and Annabeth having a conversation.

Thankfully, Annabeth was looking better. Her eyes weren't as stormy, and her smile was a few shades brighter. Her hair had been brushed out, and was no longer a tangled mess around her shoulders.

She smiled at us as we walked up to her.

"Hey, you look better." Hazel said.

"Well I certainly feel better." She laughed, but then stopped short. "It... it was something else," Annabeth said, expression turning serious.

The room shifted to an uncomfortable silence. It was a delicate subject.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Hazel said reluctantly.

"I -I don't know. I can barely remember what happened anyway." She stopped for a moment, "I had no idea what was happening, but I was genuinely afraid in a way that I hadn't been before."

And at that lovely moment, the nightmare I had earlier came back to mind. I couldn't explain it in a way that would actually sound sane, but something felt off about it. I mean, yeah, demigod dreams were terrifying, as they usually predicted things that you really did not want to happen.

But this one was different. It was fear that felt like a coldness creeping up my back, or ice flowing through my veins.

"And about Leo?" Hazel asked. Nobody missed the resounding hopefulness in her voice.

Annabeth shook her head and looked down. "I don't know. Like I said before, it knew something about all of us. I don't know if it meant something about Leo or not."

"Yeah, okay." Hazel said quietly. "Do you know why this happened?"

"Revenge? Information? ...Pleasure? I can't be sure at the moment."

"But you know," Percy cut in, "Whatever it is basically said it was after all of us. Could that mean that the same thing might happen again?"

He sent a concerned glance towards Annabeth. She looked down.

"I hope not. Though with our luck, something else is bound to happen," She paused. "It feels like we're standing on the edge of a cliff almost, or the calm before a storm."

And out of nowhere, I started coughing. I pressed my hand to my mouth to try and stop interrupting the important conversation, but it didn't pass.

In fact, It got worse.

At this point, I'm sure contents of the room had begun looking at me, but I was a bit too occupied to take to much notice. Hazel had been starting to stand up.

The coughing grew more violent, and I grew more desperate. I felt my legs give out beneath me, and I fell to my knees. Between the relentless coughing I would rasp for air.

I kept coughing and coughing to the point where I couldn't _breathe_.

I completely doubt I had been able to think straight from lack of oxygen, but in between all the chaos, a certain thought dawned upon me.

It was like my lungs were full of smoke.

Upon finally opening my eyes through the suffocation, I found myself back on that battlefield.

Through muted and blurry thoughts, it was easy to recognize the situation. The hungry fire giving light to the anarchy around me, but I could only stare at that body I had seen being ravaged by the flames.

It was my mother.

I couldn't figure out why my body refused run, refused to move move, until I looked down. I was dead, a corpse. Looking at my hand was enough. The skin was rotting and colorless, multilateral beyond repair.

For _so long_, all I could do was was stand and watch and do nothing, trapped in the corpse of a dead man, as my dead mother crumbled to ashes.

And soon enough, I caught fire too. It hurt a lot, but I numbly accepted it, and succumbed to being consumed by the fire.

* * *

I felt my cracked and chapped lips lift upwards, making them split and bleed.

I smiled. I'm sure it was crooked, but it was worth it all the same.

It had just been so _loooong_ since I had been this happy. Such an odd emotion, this happiness, this pure and untainted _ecstasy_.

The screaming was nothing short of a masterpiece. The boy's anguish and torment was beautiful to my ears. Creating fear like that was an art.

The smile dropped from my face.

The war, the chaos, it was all _their_ fault. It was _their_ fault that so many had to suffer, and comrades had to die. _It was their fault their fault their fault THEIR FAULT._

More than absolutely anything, I want them to _burn_. To _bleed_.

The thought brought the smile back.

I had long since accepted the fact that I was deranged. I don't know who wouldn't be after being thrown down that wretched pit and left to rot.

Ages passed to the point where I could no longer remember my name. I had given into the inevitable truth that I would forever be imprisoned there, listening to the various thoughts and whispers that plagued reality.

But somewhere lost in between the beginning and forever, the screaming started. And never stopped.

At the center of it all, seven little demigods.

The screaming drove me to an even deeper point of insanity. I loathed it to the point where my thoughts were coherent enough to steal my freedom back.

I wanted to make them suffer. I didn't know how to stop it, but it just wanted– no– _needed_ it to just end. I needed _them_ to end.

_Did they know? Did they know how many people they have hurt?_

While waiting forever to pass, I once heard a terrible man say, "A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic." Is that how they thought? I might have been deranged, but I could not comprehend the motives of a murderer.

I was now grasping the revenge I deserved.

At the thought, I smiled lopsidedly once more.

* * *

**Um, okay, hello there. :)**

**Thank you so much for reading, and I'm sorry that it took so long to get the chapter up...**

**Oh, and ESPECIALLY thank you to you guys who reviewed. It made me ****_extremely_**** happy.**

**-Aqua468 (3/28/15) **


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